Bomb Explodes at JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta

5th Aug 2003

There have been reports that a bomb explosion has killed at least 13 people and injured many others at the luxury Marriott Hotel in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

Reports claim that the blast damaged five floors of the American-run hotel, shattering glass and damaging cars parked outside. Indonesian Defence Minister Matori Abdul Jalil said it was caused by a bomb and was “clearly an act of terrorism”.Latest reports say an American, an Australian, a Dutchman and a Malaysian are among the dead. About 120 people from a range of nationalities are reported to have been injured.
Forensic teams have been searching the debris for evidence, and the governor of Jakarta, Sutiyoso, said the explosion was “very likely” to have been carried out by a suicide bomber.

The JW Marriott stated; “There has been an explosion in the vicinity of the JW Marriott in Jakarta, Indonesia. We have evacuated the hotel, and a number of people have been taken to the hospital. We are closely monitoring the situation and are working with authorities to assure that our guests and employees are moved to safety. We are assembling a list of employees and registered guests staying in the hotel. An employee center is also being set up.”

JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta is the newest five-star Deluxe Hotel in Jakarta, located in a newly developed Commercial District in the south of the city centre, Mega Kuningan Complex.